Network device, network connection management device, and method for connecting new network device

ABSTRACT

The present invention is intended to simplify the user&#39;s initial setup operation when connecting a new network device to a network built in his/her house/room and prevent connection of a different network device unknown to said user. A network connection management device, when receiving a network connection request from a new network device, sends the request to other network devices connected already to the network so as to be displayed on their displaying means to prompt the user to make an operation for confirming the request. The confirmation data inputted by the user through the inputting means of the network device is sent to the network connection management device, which then determines whether to permit the connection to said network. When the decision result is YES (permit), the new network device is connected to the network.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a network device and a method for connecting a new network device to a network. More particularly, the present invention relates to a network device preferred to be connected easily to a general home network and prevented from connection of any devices unknown to the user.

[0002] Along with the rapid spread of personal computers (PCs) and increase of demands for connecting those PCs to the Internet, each of general home PC users is coming to build up a home network to share accesses to the Internet and exchange data among a plurality of those PCs. In recent years, development of such home electric appliances as AV apparatuses, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. are becoming popular so as to connect them to the Internet to obtain information therefrom and/or make their cooperative operations through remote controlling or through the Internet.

[0003] Generally, to build up a general home network, the user can use such access medium as any of a CSMA/CD method LAN employed widely in offices, school campuses, etc., a wireless LAN, and another network that requires no wiring of power lines or telephone lines so as to simplify the installation without any additional construction. In other words, the user uses the IP (Internet Protocol) employed widely by the Internet as a protocol common to various types of media to assign an IP address to each device connected to the Internet so as to exchange data as IP packets with each other regardless of the media to which the devices are connected actually.

[0004] When a new device is to be connected to such a network, a unique IP address is assigned to the device so as to avoid duplication of the address among devices. Especially, when the device is also to be used at home, the device should be installed easily without such a complicated work as the initial device setup. In order to meet the demands, the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) for connecting a new device to a network is widely used so that an IP address is assigned automatically to the new device from a server of the network. The next generation IP protocol IPv6 regulates another method for setting an IP address automatically by combining the upper bits in the address given from a router through the stateless auto configuration process and the lower bits in the address, which are generated by itself.

[0005] It is true that the automatic setting of IP addresses can save the time and labor of the user significantly. When a wireless LAN or lamp line is used as an access medium, however, unexpected problems might occur; for example, a device unknown to the user might be connected by any person intentionally or by mistake outside the user's house through a wireless port or AC outlet provided on the outer wall of the user's house or from the next room when the user lives in such a housing complex as an apartment house.

[0006] In order to prevent the unexpected connection of a device to a network, the system should be controlled so that the user is authorized each time at an attempt for connecting a new device to the network. The official gazettes of JP-A No. H10-247965 and JP-A No. 2000-86231 have disclosed methods that enable a new communication terminal (slave) to be connected to a network easily when the terminal is to be registered at a cordless telephone or wireless communication terminal; the user is just requested to operate the slave and master terminals simultaneously or alternately in this connection.

[0007] In the prior technique described above, the user is requested to operate the buttons of both terminals for communications (between master and slave terminals) simultaneously or alternately. If the similar operation is employed to connect a new device to a network, the user will be requested to perform the operation between the server or router and the terminal to be connected simultaneously or alternately. The new network device and the server/router are not always installed closely to each other in the user's house/room. In some cases, the network device is installed on the first floor while the server/router is installed on the second floor. In such a case, the user will be forced to move from the first floor to the second floor or from the second floor to the first floor to operate both of the devices to connected the new network device. The work will thus become very troublesome. In addition, when a network device unknown to the user is connected by any person, the confirmation message is displayed just on the server/router screen. Therefore, the user will not be able to recognize the message.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Under such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for simplifying the installation work when the user connects a new network device to a home network and prevent the addition of a new device unknown to the user intentionally or by mistake by notifying the user of the connection of each new device.

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, each network device of the present invention, which is employed for a network system configured by a plurality of network devices, each having terminal functions, as well as at least one network connection management device having server or router functions, is provided with configuration processing means for initializing its address, notification receiving means for receiving a user's notification for user's acknowledgement from the network connection management device when a new network device is to be connected to the network, decision of acknowledgement means for receiving a request for user's acknowledgement from the notification receiving means and sending the request to the displaying means so as to notify the user of the request, then receiving a user command in response to the request through an inputting means to decide contents of a response to be returned to the network connection management device; and response sending means for receiving the decision result from the decision of acknowledgement means and sending the result to the network connection management device.

[0010] The network connection management device is provided with decision of permission means for deciding whether to permit the connection when receiving an address setting request from the new network device, and displaying means for displaying the address setting request received from the decision of permission means so as to notify the user of the request, inputting means for receiving a user command with respect to the displayed message to transfer the command to the decision of permission means, notification sending means for sending the request received by the decision of permission means to a network device other than the new network device, response receiving means for receiving a response corresponding to the user command with respect to the request sent to the other network device and sending the response to the decision of permission means, registration processing means for registering information related to the new network device permitted to be connected to the network by the decision of permission means, and device information memory means for storing the new network device information through the registration processing means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a network system configured by a gateway device and two network devices in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is an operation sequence for connecting a new network device to the network shown in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 3 is another operation sequence for connecting a new network device to the network shown in FIG. 1;

[0014]FIG. 4 is still another operation sequence for connecting a new network device to the network shown in FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 5 is still another operation sequence for connecting a new network device to the network shown in FIG. 1; and

[0016]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a network device in the second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Hereunder, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a network system in the embodiment of the present invention. The network system is configured by a gateway device 100 and two network devices 200 a and 200 b. The gateway device 100 functions as a network connection management device in this case.

[0018] The gateway device 100 includes a communication interface 1 for connecting the system to a wireless LAN, a router processing block 2 for controlling data transfer between the wireless LAN and an external network, and an external communication interface 3 for connecting the system to an external wide-area network. The gateway device 100 that functions as an interface between an internal network such as a home network and the external network. The decision of permission block 4 receives a network connection request from a new network device to be connected through the communication interface 1 and displays the connection request message of the new device on the displaying block 7 to notify the user of the request. At the same time, the decision of permission block 4 reads the address information of network devices already connected to the network from a device information memory block 6 through a registration processing block 5 and notifies the network devices of the request for user's acknowledgement through a notification sending block 9. A response receiving block 10 receives responses from the network devices through the communication interface 1 with respect to the request for user's acknowledgement, then sends the responses to the decision of permission block 4. The decision of permission block 4 then determines whether to permit the connection of the new network device according to the result received from the response receiving block 10 or instruction issued to the connection request inputted to the gateway device 100 directly by the user through the inputting block 8. When the decision result is YES (permit), the decision of permission block 4 sends a permission for connection and other necessary information to the new network device through the communication interface 1. The decision of permission block 4 also stores the information related to the new network device in the device information memory block 6 through the registration processing block 5 and instructs a router processing block to permit accesses of the new network device from/to external devices.

[0019] A network device is disconnected from a network as follows. When the decision of permission block 4 receives a disconnect request from the network device to be disconnected, the system instructs the registration processing block 5 to delete the network device information from the device information memory block 6. When the power supply to the network device is shut off or the device itself is moved out of the service range, thereby the network device is practically disconnected from the network, no disconnect request is issued from the network device. To detect such a case, therefore, the decision of permission block 4 keeps to communicate with the network device periodically to confirm that the device is connected to the network. When the communication with the device is disabled, the decision of permission block 4 regards that the device is disconnected from the network and add the information that marks this device is deleted to the device information memory block 6 through the registration processing block 5. At this time, the actual deletion of the device information from the device information memory block 6 may be delayed for a certain time so that the deletion is distinguished from temporary disconnection of the device from the network.

[0020] The displaying block 7 may be composed of LEDs or a liquid crystal panel to display connection request messages; it may be any means if the user can recognize the displayed messages. The inputting block 8 may have dedicated buttons used for inputting the “permit” and “not permit” information. Those buttons may also be displayed on a liquid crystal panel to select various functions together with the cursor keys and the enter key.

[0021] Next, the configurations of the network devices 200 a and 200 b will be described. In the network devices 200 a and 200 b, reference symbols 21 a and 21 b to 20 a to 29 b denote the same items. The application processing block 30 a/30 b realizes functions specific to the corresponding network device 200 a/200 b. The network devices 200 a and 200 b including those application processing blocks 30 a and 30 b may be similar or not similar in function; the present invention is not affected by none of the similarity/non-similarity. Hereinafter, the configuration of the network device 200 a will be described in detail.

[0022] The network device 200 a connected to a network (a wireless LAN in this case) through the communication interface 21 a can send/receive data to/from the gateway 100. When the network device 200 a is powered and/or connected newly to the network, the configuration processing block 22 a requests the request sending block 23 a for information for requesting its connection to the network automatically or according to a user information issued through an operator panel (not shown). The request sending block 23 a then sends the request to the object through the communication interface 21 a.

[0023] The permission receiving block 24 a receives the response to the connection request through the gateway device 100 and transfers the response to the configuration processing block 22 a. When the connection request denotes “permit”, the configuration processing block 22 a sets such necessary information as the address of the network device 200 a according to the information received from the gateway device 100, thereby the application processing block 30 a is enabled to communicate with network devices already connected to the internal/external network devices to execute predetermined functions. When the connection request denotes “not permit”, the configuration processing block cancels the connection attempt. The user is thus requested to attempt another method such as manual connection to the network as needed.

[0024] When a request for user's acknowledgement is returned to a different new connection request of a different new network device from the gateway device 100 after the network device 200 a is connected to the network, the notification receiving block 25 a receives the request and transfers it to the decision of acknowledgement block 26 a, thereby the different new network device connection request message is displayed on the displaying block 27 a to prompt the user to confirm the requested content. The user thus inputs the acknowledgement through the inputting block 28 a and the decision of acknowledgement block 26 a determines the content and sends a “permit” or “not permit” acknowledgement to the gateway device 100 through the response processing block 29 a according to the input of the user. The displaying block 27 a and the inputting block 28 a may include LEDs and push buttons just like the displaying block 7 and the inputting block 8 of the gateway device 100. The displaying block 27 a may also combine a TV monitor screen display operation and a response through an infrared ray remote control device to notify the user of the message.

[0025] Hereinafter, a description will be made for a case in which a new network device 200 a is to be connected to the network while the gateway device 100 and the network device 200 b are already connected to the network. FIG. 2 shows an operation sequence performed by the gateway device 100 and the network devices 200 a and 200 b to connect the new network device 200 a to the network.

[0026] In FIG. 2, the network device 200 a, when it is connected to the network, sends information for denoting its connection to the network to the router with use of the multi-casting function, then requests the router for information required to set its address and waits for the response from the router. The gateway device 100, when receiving an address setting request from the network device 200 a, displays the information for denoting the new connection request from the network device 100 a on the displaying block 8 and sends a message for requesting the user's acknowledgement to the network device 200 b. Receiving the message, the network device 200 b displays the notification message on the displaying block 27 b and waits for information to be inputted by the user through the inputting block 28 b. The network device 200 b assumes the input of the user as the expected response and sends the response to the gateway device 100.

[0027] Receiving the response from the network device 200 b, the gateway device 100 determines the content. When the content denotes “permit”, the gateway device 100 sends the necessary information to the network device 200 a and cancels the display on the displaying block 7. If the connection acknowledgement request is sent to any network device other than the network device 200 b with use of the multi-casting function, the gateway device 100 notifies the devices that the connection is already confirmed at this time. The network device 200 a thus sets necessary information such as its address according to the information received from the gateway device 100. After this, the network device 200 a is enabled to send/receive data through the network. When the response from the network device 200 b denotes “not permit”, the gateway device 100 sends a “not permit” message to the network device 200 a and cancels the display on the displaying block 7.

[0028]FIG. 3 shows another case in which a new network device 200 a is to be connected to the network while the gateway device 100 and the network device 200 b are already connected to the network.

[0029] In this case, the user sends a message for denoting the completion of his/her acknowledgement to the network device 200 b, which then cancels the display on the displaying block. The method for sending the information to the network device 200 a in this case is completely the same as that in FIG. 2.

[0030] If the network device 200 a is connected to the gateway device 100 as the first network device, the gateway device 100 refers to the device information memory block 6 to confirm that there is no network device to which the acknowledgement is to be sent. The gateway device 100 thus makes no request for acknowledgement nor notifies any other network device of the completion of the acknowledgement.

[0031]FIG. 4 shows an operation sequence performed by the gateway device 100 and the network devices 200 a and 200 b to connect a new device 200 a to the network with use of the stateless auto configuration method. Similarly to the above example, it is assumed here that the new network device 200 a is to be connected to the network while the gateway device 100 and the network device 200 b are already connected to the network. In FIG. 4, the network device 200 a requests a router advertisement message as needed and the gateway device 100 sends the router advertisement message to the network with use of the multi-casting method when receiving the router solicitation message or in a certain time. The network device 200 a obtains the upper bits of the network address from the router solicitation message received from the gateway device 100 and combines the bits with the lower bits generated by itself to obtain the new address. The network device 200 a then sends this address notification message to the network with use of the multi-casting function. The gateway 100, receiving the address notification message from the network device 200 a, displays a message denoting that a new network device is to be connected to the network and sends the request for acknowledgement to the network device 200 b.

[0032] Receiving the message for notifying the request for acknowledgement, the network device 200 b displays a message denoting that a new device is to be connected on the displaying block 27 b to prompt the user to input necessary information through the inputting block 28 b. The user's input is sent to the gateway 100 as a response. When the response from the network device 200 b denotes “permit”, the gateway device 100 sends no information to the network device 200 b and cancels the display on the displaying block 7. When the request for acknowledgement is notified to any network device other than the network device 200 b with use of the multi-casting function, the gateway device 100 notifies the device of the completion of the user's acknowledgement at this time. When the response from the network device 200 b denotes “not permit”, the gateway device 100 notifies the network device 200 a that the address cannot be used. The network device 200 a, receiving the “not permit” message, thus cancels the use of the generated address.

[0033]FIG. 5 shows an operation sequence performed by the user through the inputting block 8 at the gateway device 100 side through the stateless auto configuration just like in FIG. 4. The operation sequence in this case is the same as that shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0034] As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, when a new network device is to be connected to a network, the user is just required to confirm the newly connected network device by, for example, pressing a button; there is no need to make any other operation such as complicated setup operation. In addition, when a new network device is to be connected to a network, the user is always requested to make necessary operations in response to the messages displayed on the screen of the gateway device or network device. Thus, there is no need to worry about unexpected connection of a network device unknown to the user to the network even when the connection is done from outside the user's house/room by mistake or intentionally. It is thus always possible for the user to connect a new device to his/her home network through the most near-by device, so that the user can reduce his/her load more for the acknowledgement of the device connection.

[0035] Each means of the gateway device and the network devices shown in FIG. 1 may be an independent hardware block. On the other hand, the function of each means may be realized by a software program. Which of the above methods should be employed is left to the device designer.

[0036] While the network access media for connecting the network devices to each another is a wireless LAN in FIG. 1, the wireless LAN may be replaced with another LAN that uses twisted pair cables or network that uses power or telephone lines. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a network device in the second embodiment of the present invention. In the network device 300 shown in FIG. 6, the blocks denoted by reference symbols 21 c to 25 c and 29 c are the same as those of the network device shown in FIG. 1, which are denoted by 21 a to 25 a and 29 a. The decision for acknowledgement block 31 in the network device 300 notifies the user that an application processing block 32 has received a connection request from another network device by displaying the message on the screen of the displaying block 32. The decision for acknowledgement block 32 then receives a response inputted by the user through the inputting block 34 and the application processing block 32, then transfers the response to the gateway device.

[0037] The network device can share the displaying block and the inputting block with the application processing block shown in FIG. 6, thereby the network device can obtain the same effects as those of the network device shown in FIG. 1 without providing dedicated displaying means or inputting means specially.

[0038] As described above, according to the present invention, a new network device can be connected to a network with a simple operation. In addition, if any new device unknown to the user is to be connected unexpectedly to the network by mistake or intentionally, the attempted connection is notified to the user through each network device connected to the network, thereby the unexpected connection can be prevented. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A network device, comprising: a communication interface for connecting itself to a network; configuration processing means for performing a procedure to obtain or generate its address information required to communicate with a different network device through said network; request sending means for sending a request for necessary information to a network connection management device connected to said network said request to be sent according to an instruction from said configuration processing means; and permission receiving means for receiving a processing result of said request from said network connection management device and transferring said result to said configuration processing means; wherein said network device further includes: notification receiving means for receiving a request for connection acknowledgement from said network connection management device, said request denoting that a different new network device is requesting its connection to said network; response sending means for sending a processing result of said request for connection acknowledgement to said network connection management device; displaying means for displaying a message for notifying the user of receiving of said request for connection acknowledgement; inputting means for inputting a user's response to a message displayed on said displaying means; and decision of acknowledgement means for transferring said request for connection acknowledgement received by said notification receiving means to said displaying means, deciding the content of said user's response input through said imputing means, and sending said decision result to said network connection management device through said response sending means.
 2. The network device according to claim 1, wherein said network device cancels message display on said displaying means when said notification receiving means receives a message from said network connection management device, said message denoting that user's connection acknowledgement is completed, while said displaying means displays said message for notifying user with respect to said request for acknowledgement of the connection of said different network device.
 3. The network device according to claim 1 wherein said request sending means sends a network disconnection request to said network connection management device in prior to its disconnection from said network.
 4. A network connection management device, comprising: a communication interface for connecting itself to a network; decision of permission means for receiving a request from a network device for its connection to said network to decide whether to permit said connection, then returns the decision result to said network device; displaying means for displaying a message denoting the receiving of the connection request from said network device by said decision for permission means so as to notify the user of said receiving; inputting means for enabling said user to input his/her response to said message displayed on said displaying means, then transferring said user's response to said decision for permission means; and registration processing means for registering address information of said network device connected to said network to device information memory means according to said decision result of said decision for permission means; wherein said network connection management device further includes: notification sending means for notifying the user that a first network device is requested to connect to said a network, to devices other than said first network device so as to request said user's acknowledgement; and response receiving means for receiving a user's response to said request for acknowledgement and transfers said user response to said decision for permission means.
 5. The network connection management device according to claim 4, wherein said notification sending means notifies network devices other than said first network device of completion of user's acknowledgement when said user responses to said request through said inputting means for the connection of said first network device to said network, said request being notified by said notification sending means.
 6. The network connection management device according to claim 4, wherein said decision of permission means sends/receives a communication message periodically to/from each network device connected to said network so as to check if said network device is still connected to said network, then notifies said registration processing means of a network device that returns no response, thereby connection of said network device cannot be confirmed or a network device of which disconnection is requested from said network, then deleting the device information related to said network device or holding said device information together with information denoting disconnection of said device for a certain time, added to said device information and held until said device information is deleted later.
 7. A method for connecting a new network device to a network configured by a plurality of network devices and at least one network connection management device, said method comprising the steps of: notifying said network of a connection request message issued from said new network device so as to request necessary information required for the connection to said network; enabling said network connection management device that has received said connection request message, when one or more network devices other than said request message source network device are already connected to said network, to notify said one or more devices to display a message for denoting a request from said new network device for its connection on the screen of said one or more network devices to request for acknowledgement from the users; enabling said one or more network devices that have received said request for acknowledgement to display a message to notify their users that a new network device is requesting its connection to said network; enabling said one or more network devices to send their responses to said network connection management device upon an input of each of said users for a response to said request for acknowledgement; and enabling said network connection management device to determine whether to permit connection of said new network device to said network according to the results received from said one or more network devices. 